Pronged stud fastener



I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PBONGED STUD FASTENER Forbes Howard, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Michigan Application June 29, 1948, Serial No. 35,901

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to fasteners and more particularly to fasteners adapted to secure -a part provided with a bore tightly against an apertured support andthe invention aims gener- 2 The molded thermoplastic part I is designed to be secured to the support with the bore 4 of the part I in alignment with the aperture Ii of the support by means of a suitable fastener having a ally to improve such fasteners. 5 portion engaging an opposite face of the support Many thermoplastic materials are used as and another portion extending into the bore 4. mouldings, trim and like on various and sundry As the thermoplastic member I, and particularly machines and appliances, in some of which, for the projection 3 thereof is subject to expansion example refrigerators, the thermoplastic part is and contraction due to excessive temperature subjected to extreme cold with a resulting, conchanges, the fastener should be a compensating traction in its major dimensions. Where such fastener in order to hold the part I tightly part is to be secured in close assembled relation against the support 5. with a support, it is desirable that the fastener According to the invention the fastener memtherefore be of such construction that it will comber comprises a central body portion III preferpensate for changes in dimensions of supported ably in the form of an elongated looped member part, having one side gapped to provide spaced sup- A primary object of the invention is the proport-engaging ends II. The body portion II! is vision of a simple, one piece fastener designed to advantageously formed of a strip of spring metal hold a thermoplastic moulding, trim or the like, so that the bight portion l2 thereof is disposed which may be subject to substantial expansion opposite the ends II and is movable under comand contraction due to temperature changes, sepression relative thereof. curely against an apertured support. The fastener member includes a movable part- A further object of the invention is the proengaging stud I3 connected to the bight portion vision of a fastener as above described which will and extending in a direction normal thereto bebe simple in construction, effective in use, ecotween and beyond the ends II. Preferably the nomical in cost of manufacture and readily instud may be cut from the body of the bight p'orstalled in a fastener secured installation. tion I2 and bent angularly thereto as shown in The above and other objects of the invention Figs. 1, 3 and 4 and the free terminal end I4 of will be apparent to persons skilled in the'art from the stud I3 is provided with means for engaging a consideration of the accompanying drawings 0 and gripping a bore wall of the part I to be supand annexed specification illustrating and deported. In the illustrated embodiment of the scribing a preferred form of the invention. invention, this part-engaging and gripping In the drawings: means may be in the form of a reve'rsely extend- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form ing angularly disposed pointed hook I5 adapted of fastener illustrated, partly cut away, in posito bite into the body of the projection 3 surtion to be applied to an apertured support and a rounding the stud-receiving bore 4. If desired part to be supported thereon, the latter being the prongs I5 may be disposed on opposite sides shown in section; of the stud I3 and are resilient relative thereto Fig. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the parts so as to expand outwardly in biting engagement of the installation in fastened position; 40 with the wall of the bore 4 as the stud is pushed Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fastener shown into the bore. in Figs. 1 and 2; and In use the part I to be supported is positioned Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the fastener shown relative to the support 5 so that the bore 4 is in Fig. 3. aligned with the aperture 6 of the support. The Referring further to the drawings, the invenfastener is applied from the opposite side of the tion is primarily intended for use in securing a support by inserting the stud I3 through the molded thermoplastic part' I to a sheet metal aperture I5 and into the bore a suflicient distance support 5 though it will be understood that the to cause the resilient prongs I5 to bite into the invention is not restricted to such use. wall of the bore 4 and place the bight portion I2 The part I to be supported may be of any shape of the central body portion l0 under tension. or construction suitable for the purpose but pref- The part I will then be held tightly against the erably includes an elongated strip 2 of channelled support 5 regardless of variation in dimension of cross-section in which may be disposed an intethe projection 3 due to temperature changes. gral transverse wall or projection 3 having a Although I have illustrated and described a bore 4. to preferred embodiment of the invention, I do not amass? 8 intend to be limited to the details thereof as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener for securing to an apertured support a part having a bore therein comprising a base of thin resilient material including opposed spaced support-engaging ends of U-shaped crosssection opening toward each other, and a transversely resilient integral connecting portion extending between corresponding leg portions of said ends, the free leg portions of said ends providing support-engaging surfaces in substantially the same plane spaced transversely from said connecting portion, and a stud extending from said connecting portion substantially normal thereto in the direction of the plane of said iree leg portions and extending substantially beyond said plane, said stud being provided at its end opposite said connecting portion with projections 20 extending angularly toward said connecting portion, said projections including biting edges at their extremities whereby said stud may be inserted through the aperture oi a support into a bore of a part to be supported to engage the walls or such a bore tensioning said connecting portion and holding said support-ensu n surfaces against the face of such a support.

2. A fastener in accordance with claim 1 wherein the stud comprises a strip cut from the base portion and extending integrally from the connecting portion and'the angularly extending projections on the stud comprise portions 0! the free end oi. the strip bent to extend angularly toward the connecting portion.

' FORBES HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die .0! this patentr UNITED STATES PATENTS 

